The perfect little black dress of restaurants: works for any occasion from brunch to business meeting, always makes you feel great, and the one that you know you can rely on if all else fails.

Since Posto opened in Soho in 2009, it's become a firm favourite. I head to this open-fronted American Italian for after work prosecco with the girls, long lunches, late night suppers and morning-after, hangover busting brunches. The perfect spot for people watching, always bustling and buzzy - even if the food was average, the atmosphere would still keep me coming back. And the food’s anything but average. Creamy, homemade mozzarella (and if you get in very quickly, incredible Burrata – so legendary that it sells out almost instantly every day), crusty ciabatta served with peppery, green olive oil and rock salt, homemade pastas and slabs of mouthwatering pizza. All ingredients are organic, of the highest quality and where possible, sourced locally.

The staff are efficient, charming and always on hand to walk you through the menu and tell you exactly what bucatini is (spaghetti with a hole in the middle apparently...). Perch at the worn, dark wood bar for a couple of drinks and a quick snack (my top picks are the veal meatballs or the arancini) or nab one of the leather booths for a more languid, drawn-out affair.

The best way to eat here is family-style, so grab a menu, get ordering (inevitably over-ordering as your eyes greedily spy dish after dish that you just have to try...) and when it arrives, all dig in, tasting a bit of everything and fighting over the last chunk of mozzarella. Roll out a couple of hours later smiling and very, very full. Repeat as often as possible…

postopubblico.com/
G/F, 28 Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2577 7160
Google Map: bit.ly/LT5p2Q

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Amazing hotel in the heart of the longshen rice terraces. Stunning views from the balconies and wonderful air conditioned, en-suite rooms at really good prices. It's family run and they could not be nicer or more helpful. A bonus is the amazing food they serve, I would go just for dinner! Ping'an is beautiful beyond words, walking through the terraces and seeing the long haired Hao women is an experience I will never forget.

www.liqinghotel.com
Ping'an Village, He Ping, Guilin, China, 541701
+86 773 7585048
Google map: bit.ly/MrV10M

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It is a great place to eat if you are a hungry expat longing for a decent western meal. I recommend the steak fajitas, best in China.

www.thelazypug.com/
9, First Ring Road South, Section 1, Lower Level, Chengdu
+86 138 8178 2604

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If you prefer your art to be edible, the Mandarin Grill + Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is offering a special art inspired lunch and dinner menu until 20th May. Michelin-starred chef, Uwe Opocensky, has spent six months creating a multimedia menu with each course inspired by a different aspect of art. I have it on excellent authority that the food is outstanding and almost too exquisite to eat (but ultimately too delicious to resist). Book early to avoid missing out!

www.mandarinoriental.com
5 Connaught Road, Hong Kong
+852 2522 0111
Google map: bit.ly/JinZU4

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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From 17th – 20th May the Hong Kong International Art Fair is coming to town. Now in its fifth year, Hong Kong Art is the leading showcase for international modern and contemporary art in Asia. Over 266 galleries from 38 countries will be exhibiting a diverse range of work from a huge range of artists from the up and coming to the well established.

www.hongkongartfair.com
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong Island
+852 3111 9660
Tickets can be purchased via: www.hkticketing.com

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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It’s a common complaint that there’s a general lack of culture in Hong Kong. While it’s undeniable that there’s less theatre and music than in London and we don’t have the range of Broadway shows and large art galleries that New York has, Hong Kong does have culture in spades, it’s just that it’s not so obvious as in other cities; you usually have to seek it out.
This month though, Hong Kong is the epicentre of culture and it’s virtually impossible to miss. As you travel along the Central Mid-Levels escalators, you can’t help but notice the red white and blue lights that illuminate the posters proclaiming that it’s ‘Le French May’.
Celebrating its twentieth anniversary, this French arts festival is bigger and better than ever before. Comprising of over 500 events (some of which run until the end of August) Le French May is dedicated to all elements of art from dance to opera, photography to sculpture and fashion to food. With all bases covered, there truly is something for everyone.
Personally, I’m most excited about Crazy About Yves: a free fashion exhibition featuring stylist, Olivier Châtenet ‘s private collection of Yves Saint Laurent clothing collected over the last fifteen years, and the Picasso Masterpieces Exhibition: an exhibition of 55 Picasso works which belong to the the Musée National Picasso in Paris and span the eight decades of his career from his Blue Period to Surrealism.

www.frenchmay.com
Various locations across Hong Kong.
Tickets can be purchased from www.urbtix.hk

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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China Club is a private members club owned by Sir David Tang housed over three floors in the former Bank of China Building (the new Bank of China Building towers sleek and angular across the road - you can’t miss it, look for the glossy black building with criss-crossing white lights). Although you usually have to be or know a member to get a reservation, most hotels should be able to get you a booking with enough notice and Black Amex Card holders can get Amex to book for them. The grey, brightly-lit street level entrance appears unimpressive but ride the Old Master Q cartoon lined lift up to the thirteenth floor and prepare to be wowed.
As the lift doors open you’re greeted by a lobby crammed with striking modern art, dark wooden floors and a wrought iron Art Deco staircase curving upwards to your left. The extensive Chinese art collection deserves a mention in its own right, and alone justifies a visit to the China Club. From Yu Youhan’s diptych of Whitney Houston next to Chairman Mao hanging on the stairs to Liu Jianhua’s porcelain fish bowl in the lobby - home to five pairs of protruding, disembodied legs as well as several live goldfish who casually swim around the scattered limbs. The restaurant is designed to resemble a decadent 1930s Shanghai club and everything from the ceiling fans to the lamps conjure a bygone colonial era.
Start with aperitifs up on the 14th floor in the Long March Bar, a glamorous slice of art deco opulence. After you gin & tonic, head back past the shoe-shiners and an enormous pair of wooden shoes to the main dining room. Slip into one of the red leather and dark wood booths and get your chopsticks at the ready for the Cantonese feast to follow. Be sure to order the Peking duck, I think it’s the best in Hong Kong. While you eat, if the people watching doesn't keep you entertained enough (Victoria Beckham visited on her recent trip to Hong Kong), prepare to be wowed by the chef who spins ribbons of noodles right in front of your table and the waiter with the watering-can-like teapots who serves your tea with a side of drama. After dinner, decamp upstairs to the elegant terrace for nightcaps under the stars overlooking the city lights.

12/F, The Old Bank of China Building, Bank Street, Central, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2521 8888
Google map: bit.ly/IQcv85

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Dim Sum became the noughties' sushi in the UK with the advent of fast food dim sum chains like Ping Pong. Before arriving in Hong Kong I'd eaten plenty of dim sum in London but the slightly gummy, insipid little parcels I was used to bore no resemblance to the real deal served up in Hong Kong’s dim sum restaurants. A dim sum lunch is a real Hong Kong must-do. Eating dim sum at a restaurant is known as “going to drink tea”, or “yum cha” in Cantonese. It’s customary for Cantonese families to gather at the weekend to eat dim sum together so particularly on a Saturday and Sunday, expect busy, noisy restaurants packed with large chattering groups.
While I make no claim that the Yum Cha at Maxim's Palace is the best in Hong Kong (I'm still on a quest to discover that, and will keep you posted on my findings), the dim sum's very good, you get great harbour views and it’s also one of only a handful of restaurants in Hong kong which still uses the old school dim sum trolleys. Come at lunchtime but be prepared for a wait - Maxim's doesn't take bookings and it gets pretty hectic, particularly at weekends. Queueing over, take your seat in the large red and gold dining hall and sip on Jasmine tea while keeping a close eye on the trolleys being
wheeled between the tables. Each trolley is laden with bamboo dim sum steamers. When a trolley passes by and you spot something that you fancy, stop the waitress and grab a basket. Struggling to decide what to opt for? I suggest that you try a little bit of everything but my top dim sum picks are: har gau (shrimp dumplings), char sui bau (steamed barbeque pork buns), cheung fan (rice paper rolls which come with various fillings aka Chinese ravoili), sui mai (pork dumplings), and Xiaolongbao (steamed pork soup dumplings originating from Shanghai). If you’re feeling particularly brave, try
the chicken’s feet which actually don’t taste as bad as they look but are not the easiest thing to eat if you’re a little inexperienced with chopsticks. Lunch over, leave City Hall with a tummy full of dumplings and the clatter of the dim sum carts ringing in your ears and head for a stroll along the harbour front to work it all off.

City Hall Maxim's Palace
2/F, City Hall Low Block, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2521 1303
Google map: bit.ly/JZ2YQ6

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Gambling is a national obsession in China. In Hong Kong it’s illegal to gamble unless it’s through the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Unsurprisingly then, Hong Kong’s largest single tax payer, largest private charity donor and largest employer is the Hong Kong Jockey Club. If you want to see Hong Kong doing something it passionately loves, head to Happy Valley Race Course on a Wednesday night between September and June.
The race course in itself is pretty impressive. The floodlit loop of sweeping green track is dramatically set against the backdrop of encircling, towering apartment blocks glittering against the night sky. For a bargain HK$10 entrance fee (about 80p) you get access to the public stands and public betting hall. If you’re a tourist and you present your passport, you can pay an extra HK$100 (about £8) to get entry to the Members’ Enclosure but for atmosphere and value for money, I don’t think the public stands can be beaten. Tourists and expats tend to gather by the beer tent next to the race course, for a glimpse of the locals at play and a superb birds-eye view of the action head further up the stands. Races run approximately every thirty minutes from 7:30pm. Get there early, grab a good spot by the railings and study the form ready to place your bets before the first race. If all else fails, my failsafe tip is to choose the horse with the best name.

www.happyvalleyracecourse.com/
2 Sports Rd., Happy Valley, Hong Kong Island
+(852) 2895 1523 or +(852) 2966 8111
Google map: bit.ly/JwXuJP

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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New York has the Statue of Liberty and Central Park; London has Big Ben and Trafalgar Square; Paris has the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe; and Hong Kong has Victoria Harbour. Lots of my tips so far seem to feature the harbour in one way or another but that’s because it’s pretty spectacular.
Whenever I have visitors in town I always kick-off with some harbour view drinks on the Island side (mainly because I'm lazy and live on the island but also because I usually then do a set of light show drinks from the Kowloon side - see my Light Show tip). Whatever the time of day, it’s a great introduction to the city.
For the luxe drinks with a view option, head to Sevva in the Princes Building in Central. I've never eaten at Sevva but all reports seem to be along similar lines, disappointing and overpriced. I suggest sticking to liquid refreshments, sinking into one of the white-cushioned, comfy rattan sofas on the fabulous wrap-around terrace and imbibing while marvelling at the views across the harbour to Kowloon and back across the city on the island side. Service is erratic and the drinks are pricey, but with views like these, it's worth it.

For all the views without the hefty drinks bill, I have the perfect insider's tip for a budget option. Red Bar on the rooftop of the IFC mall is located on a big terrace facing onto spectacular harbour views. But here's the great bit - the rooftop is officially classed as public space, so although Red Bar has furnished the terrace, you're perfectly entitled to nab one of the tables even if you're not ordering drinks from the bar. I suggest popping into CitySuper, an international supermarket on level one of IFC mall, grabbing a bottle of wine and some nibbles from the delicatessen counter and then heading on up the escalators to bag your prime harbour view spot while smugly saving yourself enough cash to treat yourself to a smart dinner. My only caveat is that you need to grab paper cups while you're in the supermarket too, Red Bar are not particularly fond of people bringing their own wine and then asking to borrow glasses!

Sevva
www.sevva.hk/
6-14A Chater Road, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2537 1388
Google map: bit.ly/J5DV93

Red Bar IFC
www.pure-red.com/en/hongkong/index.php
4/f, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 8129 8882
Google map: bit.ly/J5E5gN

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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If you ask the majority of people what Hong Kong’s like you’ll generally be told that it’s full of giant skyscrapers and that it's turbo-paced, noisy, crowded and truly 24/7. While this isn’t at all inaccurate, it’s not the full story - a short hop outside of the city centre and you have green country parks, breathtakingly beautiful walking trails and really pretty beaches. Some of Hong Kong’s more accessible beaches can get a little dirty and crowded, Tai Long Wan, a beach up in the New Territories, is a real slice of paradise. It’s not the easiest place to get to which means that it's often really quiet, verging on deserted. The sand is fine and buttery yellow, the water’s clear and clean; you could easily mistake it for a beach on one of the calmer Thai islands.
Head out here first thing and when the sun gets too much, enjoy lunch at one of the rustic beach bars which serve up cold beers to wash down noodles, fried rice and basic seafood (don't expect lobster and scallops). While a day trip is entirely possible, for a real getaway, you can rent camping equipment for a very a reasonable price from one of the beach bars which means that you can camp right on the sand. There’s nothing nicer than ending a day of sunbathing and swimming with a few Tsing Taos around the campfire under a starry sky and then waking up the next day with the waves lapping a stone’s throw from your tent.
How to get there: the lazy route is via speedboat from Saikung – if you head to Saikung harbour you can hire a speedboat taxi which, depending on how choppy the water is, should be able to take you directly to the beach in around 30 minutes. If the water’s too rough, the boats won’t go (and having been on a moderately rough journey, I really wouldn’t recommend it). The more energetic route is to take a taxi to Saikung Country Park and hike in. The hike takes around an hour and a half and is hilly. The beach awaiting you at the end is well worth the effort though and the views on the way in are very pretty too. For the high rollers, there are helipads on the beaches and there are always a couple of Sunseekers moored just off the beach.

Google map: bit.ly/JZ0IIs

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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This is one of my favourite spots for a laid-back evening with great food, strong cocktails and a bit of light barstaff oggling. Yardbird, a yakatori restaurant, opened late last year and was an instant hit. Located just on the edge of Soho, the restaurant's USP is nose-to-tail, Izakaya-style dining of the chicken variety. Always packed, this buzzy two level restaurant feels more New York than Hong Kong. You can't make a reservation, so head down early, put your name on the list and while you wait for a table, pull up a bar stool, get stuck into a bowl of edamame and start working your way through the cocktail list. The black t-shirt clad bar staff (who all look like off-duty models) mix seriously strong cocktails while knowledeably and enthusiastically guiding you through the menu. From your standard chicken cuts like breast and wing to the more unusual like knee and tail, all items on the menu are made from birds delivered fresh that day so be sure to order before the most popular dishes sell out. My top picks are the salty, lemony oysters (not the type from the sea, but the fabled circular nuggets of meat from just beside the thighs – the juciest and tastiest meat on the chicken) and the moreish chicken meatballs. Spy KFC on the menu and wonder whether you've had one too many cocktails? Well don't be fooled and don't miss out - KFC actually stands for Korean fried cauliflower. These florets of cauliflower encased in a light, crispy, sweet and sour batter come studded with sesame seeds and are the perfect accompaniment to all the chicken deliciousness.
At the end of the night your bill arrives complete with a little sachet of Yardbird spicy seasoning to take home. Super cool, lots of fun, you’re guaranteed an evening of delicious, unusual food. As the restaurant’s tagline goes – Come Early, Come Often.

yardbirdrestaurant.com/
33 Bridges Street, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2547 9273
Google map: bit.ly/IQaWqE

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Stuck in Hong Kong during the typhoon season rain? 95% humidity a bit much for you? Or just in need of an hour’s break from shopping and sightseeing? A foot massage is the perfect solution. The city has numerous reflexology shops which are usually hidden away in old Chinese walk-up buildings but can be hunted out by the neon flashing feet signs which often hang above the street-side doorway. After rigorous trials (it’s a tough job but someone had to do it) I can confirm that Gao’s Foot Massage Co. is one of the very best reflexology joints in town. Right in the heart of Central, sitting just below Lang Kwai Fong’s hectic bar scene, Gao’s is a haven of tranquility. Don’t expect a sleek spa interior, Gao's looks a little like your Chinese grandmother's sitting room with a bit of Ikea
thrown in. But the focus isn’t on décor here but on the blissful foot rubs. Choose how long you want your reflexology to last, settle into one of the reclining leather armchairs and let the therapists work their magic. Wrapped in blankets, resting on a warm, cinnamon scented neck pillow and sipping on rose petal tea, it’s the little extras that make Gao’s special. I guarantee that after an hour you’ll emerge back onto the LKF streets feeling like you’re walking on clouds.

www.gaoshk.com/index.html
15/F, Century Square 1-13 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2810 9289
Google map: bit.ly/IASWEO

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Each night at 8pm, 40 of Hong Kong’s harbor-front buildings stage the light show. Its official name is the Symphony of Lights and if you believe all the hype you’ll be expecting a magical spectacle beyond anything you’ve ever seen, something crossed between the Aurora Borealis and the Disney World fireworks.
Let’s reset those expectations as a starting point.
Lots of buildings flash and shoot lasers into the sky on both sides of the harbour, if you stand in certain locations (the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront between the Avenue of Stars and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre; the promenade outside the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night) there’s accompanying music. There’s no real spectacle, there are no fireworks and Cinderella’s Castle doesn’t feature. It is however yet another excellent skyline photo opportunity and, in my opinion, a very good accompaniment to a gin & tonic.
The guidebooks will tell you to head to Felix bar to watch the show. Designed by Philippe Starck and located on the top floor of the Peninsula Hotel, Felix is a nice spot for a cocktail but it’s not an ideal light show vantage point as rather bafflingly, the bar’s windows are obscured by venetian blinds. Instead, I’d suggest heading to the Lounge Lobby bar of the Intercontinental Hotel which affords panoramic views of the harbour through huge waterside windows. The cocktail waiters mix a mean martini, which come complete with a miniature cocktail shaker full of top-ups. A couple of pre-8pm martinis and perhaps the Symphony of Lights will take on a more Northern Lights air after all …

Felix
www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong/en/Dining/Felix/default.aspx
The Peninsula Hotel, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
+(852) 2920 2888
Google map: bit.ly/ICR9fm

Lobby Lounge
www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en/gb/locations/overview/hongkong
Intercontinental Hotel, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
+(852) 27211211
Google map: bit.ly/IjfKnC

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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For arguably Hong Kong’s best cocktails in a bar so cool and under the radar that a lot of Hong Kong locals don’t know about it yet, head to 001. That’s if you can track it down. Hidden away in the Graham Street wet market, this Speakeasy is accessed via an anonymous black door sandwiched between a fruit stall and a stall selling paper lanterns. Bustling by day, at night the market takes on an eerie, ghost town nature. Gingerly pick your way around stray tomatoes squashed underfoot by the day’s shoppers and through puddles from where the pavements have been hosed down of fish guts after a day’s trading and turn down Graham Street a side alley off the main market road. Come to a stop outside the unmarked doorway, keep your fingers crossed that you’ve picked the right door and ring the spotlight-illuminated doorbell. At this point I should warn you that a prior booking is essential, I’ve seen a couple who decided to drop in for a spontaneous drink turned away by the bar staff on the basis that the bar was full, on entering the bar this very clearly wasn’t the case. This may sound petty, but as long as you’ve had the foresight to book, giving your name and whizzing straight past the floundering people being turned away is all part of the fun. Once you’ve made it in, you’re greeted with a moodily lit bar full of shadowy nooks which hint at secret liaisons and misbehaviour. Low jazz hums below the burble of the bar's patrons' conversations and waiters glide around proffering silver trays of cocktails and bowls of nuts. The Earl Grey Martinis are legendary and deservedly so. The Elderflower Caipirinha and the Strawberry Blonde come a close second but be warned, the Pear Side Car is deadly. A few cocktails down, order the grilled cheese sandwich and a plate of fries, a deliciously naughty midnight feast. For an elegant evening of liquor and languid lounging, 001 can't be beaten.

LG/F Shop G1 Welley Building 97 Wellington Street, Hong Kong Island.
+852 2810 6969
Google map: bit.ly/KmS1lo

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Great little local restaurant in Kennedy Town - an up and coming area in HK, that's 20 mins from Central. Good service and a nice relaxed atmosphere.

Shop 7 Ground Floor, Grand Fortune Mansion, 1 Davis Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong.
Google map: bit.ly/zXZysC

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Great little local restaurant in Kennedy Town - an up and coming area in HK, that's 20 mins from Central.
Good service, nice relaxed atmosphere.

Shop 7, 1 Davis Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong
+853 2818 2727
Google map: bit.ly/xrXcSJ

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Planning a trip to Beijing? The city's temples are beautiful. The Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven are preserved as symbols of China's past greatness and are amazing links to its dynastic past. The city also maintains strong links to its more modern communist history. The Military Museum in the capital is a grand five story statement of the Chinese Communist Party. It is also a shopaholics paradise: The Hoziadiao Pearl Market is the place for electronics, clothes and of course pearls, or Sanlitun village is a shiny new mall complex full of designer names and youthful, fashionable Beijingers and foreigners. What if you get 'templed out' or the flourescent lights of the malls start giving you a head ache? Get in a taxi and say, 'Seven, Nine, Eight'.

The 798 district encapsulates a cosmopolitan and artistic face of the city that is hard to find anywhere else. Sat in one of the gallery come cafe's in old construction warehouses, as young Beijingers strut past with designer handbags hanging from their arms, it is easy to mistake this stretch of the city as somewhere in Paris, or London.
It presents a refreshing break from the tourist bedlam surrounding other famous sites, it also has a classy, modern air which a lot of Beijing lacks. Modernisation in China often takes an obscure form, trying to westernise is hard when you have such little exposure to the West. 798 on the other hand has created is own identity. Young Chinese artists have come together to create a small haven in their capital away from political conformity.
Another surprising fact is the subtle mockery of the Communist party line which is followed across Beijing and China. One sculpture on a side street has a bronze bust of the peasant jacket, which Chairman Mao was always pictured wearing. Yet over the top of the bust is a Chinese porcelein bra and bunny ears.
One gallery had Mao's infamous figure strolling along in traditional peasant garb - yet this time his head had been replaced by a cow, another sculpture had a dog's head. Surely the Chairman would be turning in his grave, or mausloeum to be more precise.
A photo gallery off one of 798's many side streets had several symbolic pictures from the Cultural Revolution. This time the Great Leader was not Mao but Barack Obama. Calling on the people to join his revolution! Uh oh! Mao's mausoleum glass might have just shattered!!
The majority of people walking around or enjoying 798 cafes and restaurants were Western or wealthy Chinese sporting designer this and that. Maybe authorities are blase about the influence of art, or cannot understand its symbolism themselves. Regardless, 798 is not only a refreshing break from the chaos of Beijing, but a refreshing place for young Chinese to have a voice, through art they can stand up to the rigid and conformist Chinese system.
Many guidebooks will focus on the beautiful temples, parks or the shopping spots in Beijing. However few places are able to show you a different face to the Chinese capital. I am not suggesting you do not visit Beijing's beautiful temples and impressive museums. 798 though is a change, you will not find it anywhere else. Even if there is still a touristic air to the place - this appears impossible to escape in Beijing. So pay a visit, be refreshed, then dive back into the malls.

www.798space.com/index_en.asp
No. 4 Jiuxian Bridge Road / 酒仙桥路4号 (在大山子) in Dashanzi District, north east of city centre.
Transport: Subway to Dongzhi men then No. 401 bus OR 20 Minute Taxi journey from CBD.

Google map: bit.ly/rBSHQF

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Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty; truly world class, as reflected in its UNESCO listing as a World Heritage Site.
The main attractions are the crystal clear lakes which, because of a high mineral content, appear blue and green, and the waterfalls which separate the series of lakes down through the valley.
Actually, it would be more correct to say two valleys as the main area of the park is y-shaped. A shuttle bus service operates within the park for those who buy the relevant ticket; otherwise, there is a lot of walking.
A third valley, the Zharu Valley, is not open to the general public but it is possible to viist if booked on one of the eco-tourism options with the park authorities. A write-up of my 3-day trek is linked below. This also includes other eco-options that we were shown during the trip.
A related site, Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) is nearby and easily combined in a short break from Chengdu.

www.jiuzhai.com/language/english/index.html
Google map: bit.ly/tjjG6X

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A really chilled out restaurant in Wahchai. Great for Sunday brunch. Fabulous old building and close to Wanchai MTR.

62 Johnston Road, Hong Kong
+852 2866 3444
Google map: bit.ly/sEZ6NY

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